{"id":26476,"date":"2025-08-20T15:18:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T20:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/?p=26476"},"modified":"2025-09-29T10:23:40","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T15:23:40","slug":"rats-mike-steed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/2025\/08\/rats-mike-steed\/","title":{"rendered":"RATS! (Mike Steed)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Title &#8211; <\/strong>RATS!<strong><br \/>\nSystem &#8211; <\/strong>Commodore 64<strong><br \/>\nAuthor &#8211; <\/strong>Mike Steed<strong><br \/>\nPublication<\/strong> &#8211; COMPUTE! Issue 038, July 1983<br \/>\n<strong>Page Scans<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/1983-07%20RATS%20-%20Compute%20038%20-%20p54.png\">1<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/1983-07%20RATS%20-%20Compute%20038%20-%20p56.png\">2<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/1983-07%20RATS%20-%20Compute%20038%20-%20p58.png\">3<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/1983-07%20RATS%20-%20Compute%20038%20-%20p60.png\">4<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/1983-07%20RATS%20-%20Compute%20038%20-%20p62.png\">5<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Preserved by<\/strong> &#8211; eboy71<br \/>\n<strong>Recommended Emulator<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/vice-emu.sourceforge.io\/\">VICE<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26478 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1-300x226.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1-1024x771.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1-768x578.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-1.png 1426w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3.png\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26477 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3-300x226.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3-1024x773.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3-768x579.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-3.png 1434w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26479 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4-300x226.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4-1024x771.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4-768x578.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RATS-screen-4.png 1434w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed).zip\"><strong>Download ROM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Loading the Game \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mount the disk image (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/typingtaskforce\/Commodore%2064\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed)\/RATS%20(Mike%20Steed).zip\">Compute 038 &#8211; RATS.d64<\/a>) in your emulator. In VICE, this is done by selecting File \u2192 Attach Disk Image<\/li>\n<li>Load the app by typing LOAD\u201dRATS-LOADER\u201d,8,1<\/li>\n<li>Once loaded, type RUN to start<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Game Instructions \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RATS! is a 3-D maze game. You start at a random location in the maze, and your goal is to escape.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing you will be asked to do is to select the size of your maze. The game defaults at 3&#215;3 and you can make it as large as 15&#215;15. Once you have selected the dimensions, the game will then create the maze and present you with some brief instructions once it\u2019s ready.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The game is played with 4 keyboard keys:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">J &#8211; turn left<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">L &#8211; turn right<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SPACE &#8211; move forward<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">M &#8211; view overhead map<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you escape, the game ends and it will display the path that you followed on the overhead map. To play again, type in RUN on a blank line and press RETURN<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Article Text<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This impressive game makes you feel that you are inside a maze, not just seeing it from above. Three dimensional views appear as hallways, doors, and corners as you struggle to find the way out. It\u2019s for Upgrade or 4.0 BASIC PETs and Commodore 64.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must find your way through a maze displayed from a rat&#8217;s eye view. After you have solved the maze, the program displays the top view and traces your steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, you are asked what maze size you want, up to 15 by 15 (you may wish to change the DIM statement in line 49 add two to the largest dimension you want &#8211; and line 43). Line 45 checks to see if the machine code has been POKEd in, so you have to wait for that only the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The space bar is used to move forward, and the \u201cJ&#8221; and\u201dL&#8221; keys are used to turn left and right, respectively (turning doesn&#8217;t change your location; it just gives you the view in another direction). The &#8221;M&#8221; key will display the top view of the maze, mark your position, and tell you in which direction you are headed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are four machine language routines in RATS! (they will all work as is with Upgrade or 4.0 ROMs). LINE, as its name implies, draws a line; this routine is similar to Applesoft&#8217;s HPLOT TO or Atari BASIC&#8217;S DRAWTO command. PLOT sets the &#8221;hi-res cursor&#8221; to the position from which the next line is to be drawn, and plots that point on the screen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">INIT removes everything that is not a letter or number from the screen (thus the quarter-square graphics are erased, but not the &#8220;MOVE XX&#8221; at the bottom of the screen), and sets all the variables used by the other routines (locations 826-837) to zero.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCR either loads or saves something to or from the screen. This routine is used to save the screen to memory after the top view of the maze has been displayed the first time, and from then on is used to display the maze almost instantly, so you have to wait only once.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Readers who want a copy of the program (PET version only) without having to type it in may send a blank tape or 8050 disk, an SASE mailer, and $3 to:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mike Steed<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[mailing address]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Editor\u2019s Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This appears to be the only game development credit for Mike Steed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The game was originally written for the PET 4.0 series and then ported to the C64. The primary code from the PET is to be typed in first, and then there are four additional \u201cprograms\u201d that are needed for the port. These programs add some new lines (e.g., for sounds), or edit lines in the PET version. The machine language routines are completely different for each computer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The program works well and it\u2019s fast, although calling it a \u201cgame\u201d feels a bit of a stretch due to a lack of game-elements such as scoring, timers, etc. It feels more like a really cool tech demo. But, semantics. \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigating a maze like this just feels natural nowadays; back in 1983, it would have been quite novel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FgXNfmq8RyE?si=T3jxev43CM395MuG\">Watch RATS! get typed-in and played<\/a><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FgXNfmq8RyE?si=CvZZvDukJwaqF3mD\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/2025\/08\/rats-mike-steed\/\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":26480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1175],"tags":[1176,1527,477,997,981],"class_list":["post-26476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-type-in-programs-commodore-64","tag-commodore-64","tag-mike-steed","tag-source-code","tag-type-in-code","tag-type-in-programs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26476"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27125,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26476\/revisions\/27125"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamingalexandria.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}